Internal-combustion engine



May 20, 1930. J. G.VINCENT 7 INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Feb. 23, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jesse Gil ian ent y 3 J. c5. VINCENT 1,759,147

- INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Feb. 25, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 36 Jesse G. virwraa;

' Patented May 20, 1930 UNITED STATES 'PNATE'NT OFFICE J'ESSIE G. VINCENT, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR' TO PACKA ZBD MOTOR CAR COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHI IGAH, A. CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGIDTE Application filed February 23, 1924. Serial No. 694,574.

lhis invention relates to internal combustion engines and particularly to the cylinder, crankcase, crankshaft, bearings and related parts. y

'5 One of the objects of the present invention is to engine.

Another object of the invention is to provided-a barrel crankcase -with integral cylinder parts. 1

Another object of the invention is to provide a barrel crankcase engine with adequate end thrust means for the crankshaft. Another object of the invention is to provide for ready removal of the crankshaft from a crankcase of barrel form.

Another object of the invention is to provide an extremely lightweight engine with adequate means for supporting the .crankshaft for high speed operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a crankshaft bearing member with a novel form of positioning and clamping means in the crankcase of an engine.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through an engine embodying the invention; Fig. 2 's a vertical transverse section substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 33ofFi g.2. I Referring to the drawing, 10 represents the crankcase casting generally. This I crankcase casting is of,barrel form in that it extends the full length of the .engine and it entirelysur-rounds the crankshaft. The upper vpart of. the casting has an integral upward extension which forms a portion of the engine cylinder block. As shown, this upward extension, which is indicated at 11,

forms the outer'wall of the jacket of the.

cylinder block and the inner wall of the j acket is formed by the several cylinders 12 which extend down into the portion 11 and are secured in place by a detachable head 13. The

. head is bolted to the main casting by a series of bolts 14 shown particularly in Fig. 2.

provide a strong and light weight The lower wall of the crankcase into which the oil drains is indicated at 15, this wall being an integral part of the crankcase casting 10; and the side walls of the crankcase are provided with rather large openings 16, one on each side, for insertion and removal of the connecting rods. These openings 16 are closedby covers v17 detach'ably secured by bolts and nuts 18.

The engine pistons are indicated at 19 and the connecting rods at 20. 21 is the crankshaft of,the engine. The engine illustrated is a six-cylinder engine so. that there are six throws to the crankshaft and there are six pistons and six connecting rpds. Also, the

engine shown has a three-bearing crankshaft,

the two end bearings and a single intermediate bearing, and the crankcase is accordingly made to provide for these three bearings.

Referring particularly.to Fig. 1, one ,of' the end bearings is indicated at 22 and the other end hearing at 23. These. are ball bearings of sufiicientsize to take the crankshaft load. In the claimsthese hearings will be referred to as anti-friction bearings to distinguishfrom the usual plain bearlngs used in internal combustion engines. The hearing 22 is supported in a sleeve 24 mounted in the end wall 25 of the crankcase. This bearing is withdrawable from the sleeve 2& with the crankshaft as will hereinafter appear.

The bearing 23 is supported in a ring or sleeve 26 which is mounted in the other end wall 27 of the crankcase 10 and this ring 26 is detachably held in place by a series of bolts 28. The opening 29 into which the ring 26 fits is slightly larger diameter than the greatest diameter of the crankshaft 21 so that the crankshaft may be insertedinto and re verse wall 32 of the crankcase casting 1'0.

This bearing member is formed in two parts bolted together as by bolts 31', shown in Fig.

.2, and it is preferably babbitted as at 33 to provide a suitable bearing surface for the crankshaft. In the claims this bearing will be referred to as a plain bearing. The babbitt extends at'thesides of the member 31 as shown at 34 and thereby contacts with the cheeks 35 of the crankshaft and takes the end thrust of the crankshaft or positions the crankshaft endwise in the crankcase.

' which opening is slightly larger than the greatest diameter of the crankshaft so that the latter may be removed through the opening 39, together with the bearing member 31, when the latter is disconnected. The bearing member 31 is positioned in the crankcase by a pair ofbolts or dowels 40 which are shown particularly in Figs. 2 and 3. It is secured in place by a pair of bolts 41 which extend through bosses 42 formed in the wall 15 of the crankcase and threaded into the bearing member 31 as shown at 43 in Fig. 2. The bolts 41 are arranged one on each side of the aligned passa es 37, 38 and bydrawing the bearing meniber 31 downwardly in close contact with the lower wall of the opening 39, a tight joint is made so that there will be no leakage of oil at that point.

In assembling the crankshaft in the crankcase it will be understood that the bearings 22 and 23 will be placed on the ends of the crankshaft, the ring 26 will be placed over the bearing 23, and the bearing member 31 will be clamped around the intermediate bearing part 30 of the crankshaft. The bolts or dowels 40 will be backed out of the wa and the bolts 41 will be out. The cranksha t will then be inserted endwise through the openings 29 and 39 of the crankcase and the bearing 22 will rest in the sleeve 24, the bearmember 31 will rest' in the wall 32, and the ring 26 will rest in the end wall 27 The .member 31 will then be positioned by thread.-

ing in the bolts 40 and it will then be clamped in place by inserting the bolts 41. The ring 26 will be bolted to the crankcase by the bolts 28. The pistons 19 and connecting rods 20 may then be assembled through one or the other of the side openings 16 and the latter will be closed by the 'covers 17.

The bottom ,wall 15 is-preferably formed with openings 44 at or near its lowest point so that the oil therein may drain into a reservoir 45, which is 'detachably secured to the lower part of the crankcase as by bolts 46. A suitable pump, not shown, may be pro-, vided to draw oil from the reservoir 45 and feed it to the pipe 36. A relief valve is indicated at 47 in Fig. 2, having a pipe 48 connecting it with the pipe 36 and havinguan overflow passage 49 back into the reservoir 45.

A carburetor is indicated at 50 and an intake pipe at 51 and a throttle valve 52 is operated by suitable connections 53.

IVhile I have herein described in some detail a specific embodiment of my invention, which I deem to be new and advantageous and may specifically claim, I do not desire it to be understood that my invention is limited to the exact details of the construction, as it will be apparent that changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a multithrow crankshaft of a barrel crankcase having side openings and an end opening large enough to receive the crankshaft, said s1de openings being large enough for insertion and removal of the connecting rods, the crankcase being adapted to have the crankshaft assembled through said end opening and three bearings in said crankcase for said crankshaft.

2. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a crankcase having antifriction end bearings and a plain intermediate main bearing and a crankshaft mounted in said bearings, said intermediate bearing being arranged to take all of the end thrust of the crankshaft and the anti-friction bearings' being longitudinally movable in said crankcase.

3. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a crankcase and an endwise removable crankshaft therein, of an intermediate bearing for said crankshaft, a bearcrankshaft.

I 4. In an internalcombustion engine, the combination of a barrel crankcase, end bearings therein for the crankshaft, an intermediate split bearing comprising two pieces adapted to surround anintermediate bearing part of the crankshaft, means cooperating with one of said pieces for positioning said intermediate bearing in the crankcase, means cooperating with said other piece to clamp, said intermediate bearing in said crankcase and a crankshaft supported in said bearings.

5. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with the crankcase having an opening therein for endwise removal of the crankshaft, a bearing member arranged in said opening, said crankcase and bearing member having aligned oil passages, and

means for clamping the bearing member to the crankcase adjacent said oil passage.

6. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with the crankcase having an opening therein for endwise removal of the crankshaft, a bearing member arranged in said opening, said crankcase and bearing member having aligned oil passages, means for positioning said bearing member in the crankcase opening, and means for clamping the bearing member to the crankcase so that a tight joint will be made Where the oil passages meet.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JESSE G. VINCENT. 

